Close Encounters 21
Kate watched her husband lead the interrogation, that cheerful-friendly aww-shucks routine against the man her team had just brought in. She wanted in that box, she wanted to be the one doing that interrogation, but it wasn't feasible.
It was her week to pick up the kid.
Kate could freely admit they were both chafing here. Not with the actual joy of their son, but just the day-to-day. Neither of them were exactly the stay-at-home type. Sometimes it felt to her just like house arrest had - necessary but confining. When she was deep underground in the Office, she found herself creating elaborate personal missions to hit up a couple of key elements for their new Chechnya plan or detailing roles that only she could do.
It wasn't just her. Castle was doing it too. Sometimes, in the middle of laying out the idea for an op, they both stopped at the same time and looked at each other, eyes meeting in regret.
They both wanted in on the action. They weren't good at sitting the sideline.
But they had promised each other - and their son - that the first year of his life was resolutely stateside. And after that, it would be two to four missions a year, no more. They had a family, and neither of them wanted to do to James what had been done to Castle - abandoned by his mother and screwed over by his father.
They wouldn't do that to their son.
But it was hard to stifle the urge to take control, to take over, to take up arms and go in hot. They worked well as a team in the field, and while it was always dangerous, they got results, they did good in the world. Mason was being relayed out of the Paris station to various hotspots in Eastern Europe, soon Esposito would be status-ready to join him on a few of those ventures, and eventually they'd have two more guys taking on the role of 'floater' like she and Castle had been doing.
Until then, they would have to make do.
Which meant that Castle was working over her guy in the box while Kate finished up the last of the analyst's report on the PKK's financial support in the US. And then she would pick up her son and take him home and she'd forget about how she longed to be out in the field.
It worked though - for them both. The moment their front door closed, they found themselves falling under the spell of their almost-six month old son.
And already, Kate's thoughts turned from global stock systems and money laundering and back towards the adorable little boy who waited on her.
He was growing up so fast.
Even though it was the first of April, the late afternoon had turned cold suddenly, so Castle scrounged in the boy's closet for the little peacoat that Carrie had bought him for Christmas. James was crawl-scooting on the floor, babbling after Sasha who was playing some kind of game with him.
Castle finally found the coat and tugged it from the hanger, turned and dropped it over James's head. The boy gasped and sat back, then cackled, grabbing for the coat. He drew it down his face and tilted back, laughing up at his father.
Castle grinned. "Yeah, I dropped it on your head, kid. What're you gonna do about it?"
James chuckled, his old man laugh that Castle could swear sounded exactly like Jim, and he tried tossing the coat.
"Chill out; you're going to need that coat. And see? You'll look exactly like your grandfather."
Castle wriggled his eyebrows down at the kid and James cackled again, chucking the coat away from him. Castle leaned over and scooped it up, then gathered the boy against his chest.
"Sasha, come on, wolf." Castle went through the doorway and started down the stairs, tugging the boy's little shirt down over his stomach.
Kate had dressed him this morning while Castle had gone in to work early, and so it had been a pleasant surprise to pick him up and see what he was wearing. The black vest and dark blue corduroy pants over the little man white shirt made him look rather dapper for Castle's low-key birthday.
James babbled nonsense all the way to the kitchen, and then he leaned hard out of Castle's arms, straining for the basement door. Castle grunted and shut it with his foot, frowning. Kate must have left it open this morning; she'd been working from home.
James grunted back at him, not happy with that, but Castle allowed him down and the boy moved instead for Sasha, gripping onto the dog's fur and struggling to get up. Jim had apologized to Castle this afternoon when he'd picked up his son, shown him the knot over James's eye. He'd started pulling up on things and had smacked his head when Jim hadn't been looking.
Castle bent over and rubbed his thumb over the spot but already the knot had disappeared, the swelling had gone down.
That was fast.
James tilted his head back and babbled a shout at Castle, then he ducked out from under his father's touch. Castle stood up again and laid the boy's coat over the kitchen chair, and at that moment, James pulled himself right up to stand, using the dog's collar and ruff for leverage. Castle laughed at the look on Sasha's face - and on James's as well.
James grinned widely at him, swaying on his feet, and Sasha stood perfectly still, giving Castle a look. James babbled in pleased pride, rocking back and forth a little as if he wanted to get going. It was almost up, up, up, if Castle didn't know better.
He ruffled the sticking-up hair on James's head. "Not quite six months old is a little young to be walking, kid. You're gonna scare the shit out of your mom."
Castle skimmed his fingers over the boy's forehead, pushing back his bangs to see that bump over his eye. Tinged a faint yellow now, with a dot of black at the edges. Healing - nearly healed. And in only about five hours.
"Don't let your mom see, would ya? It's my birthday and we're going out." Castle tugged on James's ear like Kate always did to him, and then stood up again, letting James practice walking with the dog as guide. So what if the kid hit his milestones early? He was smart and healthy, and he was a happy baby.
The locks on the door whirred and then snapped as the alarm released. Castle turned towards the entry, but James dropped to his bottom and went scooting across the floor, evidently understanding what those sounds meant and wanting to get there fast.
Castle chuckled and overtook his son, scooped him up and carried him to the door - just as it opened. Kate grinned widely when she saw them, dropped her bag to the floor and shut the door after herself. She walked right into them both, wrapping an arm around Castle and cupping the back of James's head.
She kissed the baby's cheek, and then she turned to Castle and bumped her hips into his, eyebrows going up.
"You knocked off a little early," he murmured, smiling back at her.
"April Fool's?" she said.
He laughed. She'd told him a late dinner, probably eight before she got everything done. April Fool's indeed.
Kate brushed her lips against his mouth and Castle pushed in closer, gripping James to keep him from wriggling down. Kate hummed and pushed back, her tongue clever, her teeth nipping his bottom lip, driving him a little crazy.
Castle groaned when she pulled away, found himself gazing at her as if through a fog. Kate smirked and gently patted his cheek, took the baby from him.
"You guys ready for birthday dinner?" she nuzzled into James's ear. "Did Daddy tell you we're going out somewhere special? Because he's so old?" She was already mounting the stairs and heading for their bedroom, taking their son with her.
Castle blinked and saw he was still standing at the front door, his body thrumming with that electric arousal, his whole game plan scattered by her. He couldn't even mount a defense to that 'so old' comment.
And he was totally fine with that.
Castle reached forward and locked the deadbolt, reset the alarm panel. And then he turned around to follow his wife up the stairs.
After all, she had promised him things for tonight. Not just dinner out.
Dessert in.
"HepB and DTaP," he called back to her. "That's what this says."
Kate checked the scheduler they'd posted on the fridge, ran her finger over the little boxes until she found the one. "Shit."
From the laptop in the living room, Castle must have heard her. "What's it say?"
"You're right," she shouted. "It was yesterday. Boyd didn't call?"
"Boyd didn't call. You know how he is; he gets distracted."
"But Logan?" she said, rounding the kitchen and coming into the living room. Castle was corralling James on the couch, trying to keep him occupied and away from the CIA-issued laptop. "Why didn't Logan say something?"
"Kate," he chided. "Logan's on vacation, remember? His wife-"
"Oh, right, shit." Kate sank down to the couch beside her son, scratched his back until he dropped to the cushions, hypnotized by her touch. "Call Boyd then."
She heard Castle snort and glanced up, saw that he already has his cell phone out. She shrugged and rubbed James's back, watching her son's eyes droop. It was late, but he liked staying up with them. He was a night owl, those big blue eyes so avid, but now it was nearly eleven and he ought to be in bed.
Kate rubbed his back slowly, watching him struggle against sleep, while Castle talked to Boyd about the vaccinations they'd missed yesterday. Tomorrow was Sunday, James's six month birthday had been Friday but they'd celebrated just like they'd done last month for Castle's birthday - dinner out and a walk through Central Park. It'd started to be their thing, taking the time to slow down and enjoy their life once a month.
Of course, Friday they should've been at Boyd's lab, getting James's next set of vaccinations. At his four-month date, James had received these same shots, and Kate wasn't looking forward to it again. He'd looked so hurt about it, crocodile tears had rolled down his cheeks, but he'd come straight into Kate's arms and huddled there, whimpering at her.
At that, below her hand, James gave a little whimper and then his eyes closed, stayed that way, and he was asleep.
Kate stilled her hand on his back and lifted her head to Castle. He was nodding into the phone, frowning, and then his face cleared.
"No, no, it's fine. Really. We'll come in tomorrow morning and it'll be fine. A couple days won't hurt anything."
He smiled and shook his head at something Boyd said, and then he said good-bye and ended the call.
Kate lifted an eyebrow.
Castle laid his hand over hers on James's back. "He has the vaccinations - he just forgot. He said come in to the lab tomorrow morning and he'll do it then. He's also supposed to get a flu shot."
"A flu shot?"
"Two doses for children 6 months to 8 years old who haven't had a flu vaccination before." Castle winced and lifted his hand from James, rubbed it down his face. "Shit, I really hate giving him vaccines."
"Every kid gets vaccines, part of life - a healthy life." She moved and hooked the crook of his elbow, tugging to get him to lift his head. He gave her a baleful look and she smiled softly. "It's not the regimen; it's not what your dad did to you, Rick. This is different."
"Yeah? Well, guess what else is at 6 months?" he muttered. "IPV and PCV and Rotavirus-"
"No, remember? We decided not to give him the rotavirus vaccination because he's not in daycare. And because he's... special."
Castle gritted his teeth and glanced down at James; Kate couldn't help covering the baby's back as if in protection. She didn't know why, but she wasn't sure how stable Castle was about the super aspect to their son and she hated to bring it up. He just - he wasn't settled about it, and she didn't want to keep shoving it in his face.
Hey, your son isn't normal and he'll probably need help for the rest of his life.
No, she wasn't going to keep harping on it.
"Well, we've got a choice to make then. Flu shot or no?"
Kate rubbed her thumb over the baby's spine, watching him sleep on the couch cushion, his arms and legs tucked up under him. His mouth had fallen open to breathe and his lips were a round rosebud, lashes brushing his cheeks. What a beautiful boy.
"My family has had... an issue with the flu shot," she said finally. She lifted her head and frowned at Castle. "It has swine flu added to it, usually, and while it's no longer a live vaccine, back in the days when it used to be? My dad's mother got the vaccination and it caused a reaction."
"A reaction?" Castle rumbled. His eyebrows shot up as he looked at her. "What kind of reaction?"
"She had creeping paralysis."
"What the fuck-"
"Castle," she hissed, cupping her hand at James's ear. "Don't wake him."
"Paralysis is a big fucking deal, Kate. Why the hell didn't you say something before now?"
"It was a live vaccine for swine flu. It wasn't the meningitis stuff, it wasn't for polio or whooping cough like these others. It was a long time ago. It just makes me uneasy because of - because James is already a little different and reactions happen so fast, and last month he had a fever for two days."
Castle stared at her. She'd told him a fever was normal, and it was. It was. It had never even broken a hundred.
He rubbed his eyes. "I knew a guy in the army whose sister got the HepB shot at birth and it caused a 'seizure storm' - that's what he called it - like a lightning storm in her brain. She was basically a living vegetable his whole life. They had to get her spine fused at like ten, because she was deteriorating so much, and then..."
Kate gaped at him, then stared down at their son, her heart thumping. Their innocent, happy little boy. "Well, fuck, you didn't mention that either, did you?"
"I didn't want to scare you. I was already scared."
"Now I'm terrified."
Castle grunted and moved his hand to James's back as well. "He's done really well though. All the baby websites said that the vaccinations might cause swelling or a fever, irritability. The wolf had a fever, but he's been happy, barely even slowed him down."
"The two month check up - remember?" she said, rubbing her fingers over James's ear. "After those, he slept all afternoon and all night and I had to wake him the next morning to feed."
"Oh." Castle gave her a bleak look. "I didn't realize."
"That was right after - you know - starving him? So I just chalked it up to still being a little out of whack. You know how bad his sleep got, and then when we figured it out and he was getting enough nutrients, he would sleep like that sometimes."
"Yeah. Okay. So... what are we saying here? Are we chickening out - flu or no flu?"
Kate smoothed her thumb over James's little ear, curling back the wisps of dark hair. He still had some of that mohawk thing going, but it had started to lay down at his ears. Growing so fast. He could sit up unaided and even pull up on the dog; he kept trying to get Sasha to drag him around. Smart kid, but still so vulnerable, really.
"No flu," she said, lifting her chin. "Is that ok?"
"I agree." Castle let out a breath and gave her a relieved smile. "That's good. Right? Because he's not in daycare - he's just around us and your dad. And Carrie. And the boys. Huh."
Kate wrinkled her nose at him. "It's not like any of us work in health care, elderly services, or child care - where it's easy to catch the flu. Plus James is probably the most-watched kid in the world when it comes to viruses. Right?"
Castle actually chuckled, shaking his head at her, but he couldn't argue. She knew she was right. He was getting blood tests every month, poor kid. He knew when it was coming. In fact, Kate had been trying to cut his nails a few days ago and when she'd grabbed his finger, he had whined and tried to wriggle out of her lap, thinking she was going to stick him.
"Poor baby," she murmured, leaning in to kiss his round forehead.
"No flu shot, but all the others. We'll watch him. And we can call Logan if-"
"No," Kate laughed softly, her head close to James's on the couch. "No, don't bother poor Logan. He's on vacation. Let him have a break from us."
Castle grinned, but he didn't say anything. He knew they had relied on Logan too much; she could see it in the smirk of his lips.
Kate kissed James once more and then slowly slid her arm under him, gathered him up. "I'll put the baby to bed. You get the dog."
"Will do, love." Castle shifted forward and kissed James's little cheek and then his mouth came up and brushed over her lips, so soft that it made her go still.
She opened her eyes and saw him smiling. His hand came up and cupped her jaw, and then he kissed her again.
Sometimes she forgot, in the day-to-day of their lives. She forgot just how intense it was between them.
How could she possibly have forgotten?
"Hurry," he murmured.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm hurrying."
Castle cupped the back of James's head and tried to hush his crying, his eyes on Kate. She was stoic this time, her face blank as she talked to Boyd, but he could see that her body was leaning back towards them, towards their newly-inoculated son.
James was easily soothed this time, though he whimpered painfully at Castle's ear as if to remind everyone that he wasn't happy. This wasn't the first set of vaccinations that had triggered such a sad reaction in their son, like his feelings had been hurt, like he'd been betrayed by them. But it seemed the most personal.
Maybe it was just that at six months old, James knew them now and they knew him. James was reacting to them and their emotional responses, and he'd been tense from the time they'd brought him into the lab. He'd known it was coming, and the accusation in his eyes was wounding.
"You're okay. Sorry, wolf, we're sorry but it's necessary. Keeps you from getting sick. You don't want to be sick, do you?" Castle lightly bounced his son in his arms, his cheek against James's temple. "I know you're sad. And when you get older, I'll take you out for ice cream after a shot, but for now-"
"Hey, what's going on here?"
Castle turned to find Threkeld in the doorway, his eyes small behind his glasses but his face sympathetic. He shuffled inside the exam room and put a hand up, rested it on top of James's head.
The baby was either so stunned by the man's presence or in need of just that heavy weight, because James immediately went still and quiet, dropping his head to Castle's shoulder on a sad little sigh.
Threkeld's wide hand stayed at James's skull for a moment more, and then he cupped his palm, ruffling the fine wisps of hair before he dropped his arm.
"He just got another round of vaccinations," Castle answered finally.
Threkeld was giving James a knowing, serious look. "Ah, I see. That will do it. But you're okay now, Echo. You're okay. You've got it."
James's eyes stayed on Threkeld even as the doctor nodded and stepped away, moving back out of the exam room and further into the lab. James gave a sighing little stutter of breath and closed his eyes, exhausted with it, his body slumped against Castle's.
"Hey," Kate said softly. "That did the trick. Who knew?"
She stepped into them with a kiss along James's temple, her eyes lifting to Castle. He gave a one-shoulder shrug, but he couldn't help looking out the door after Threkeld - Gerald Threkeld who had been broken by this secret and yet regarded their son with such serious affection.
He clutched James a little tighter to his chest to remind them both that Castle had him, his father wasn't going to let him fall, and Kate stepped back, glancing to the other member of their medical team left in the room.
"Boyd?"
The doctor turned from the biohazard bin where he'd dumped the needles and waster, and he regarded them both with surprise. "Yes? Did you change your mind about the flu-"
"No," Kate said hurriedly, a quick glance back to Castle. "No, but how is Threkeld doing? He's looking better."
"He has managed to collect himself after all of that, yes. I feel that his work is more superb than ever."
Castle grimaced, catching Kate's look, and he rubbed his hand over James's back to keep him settled. "His work is going well? That's good. Do you know if his wife has lured him out of the house any?"
Boyd looked blank. "His wife? I don't - I'm sure I don't have any idea. Logan would know. Actually, huh. I haven't seen Logan since-"
"He's on vacation," Kate reminded him softly. She smiled at Castle and shook her head. "His wife wanted to drive cross-country."
"Oh, yeah, that's right." Boyd chuckled at his own forgetfulness. "I knew that. They were going mountain climbing."
"Mountain climbing?" Castle laughed. "I'm impressed. I never saw that coming."
"You haven't met his wife?" Kate said, turning back to look at him. "She's hot."
Castle rolled his eyes.
"She is. You'd think so too. She has abs I'd kill for," Kate muttered. "Especially now."
"No fair comparing," he said, reaching out to poke her in those abs. "You just had a kid."
"She's had two kids."
"What?" Castle's mouth dropped. "No. Logan has two kids?"
"You didn't know that?" Boyd interrupted. "Two boys. They rock climb as a family."
Castle couldn't believe it. "Two boys. What are their names?"
"How is this new information for you?" Kate laughed. "Tyler. Um, Tyler and... Dylan? I think. Yeah. Tyler for sure; he's the oldest."
"Shit."
Boyd was chuckling and heading for the door, ushering them out, and so Castle followed, still rubbing James's back to keep him quiet and drowsy. Kate was entirely too smug behind them, but as they passed into the main lab, James perked up, lifting his head and looking around.
Boyd smiled and came to Castle's shoulder, tapping the baby's nose in that way all older people seemed to have. "Ah, I think Echo is interested in the work we do. You like the shiny equipment? Half of this is for you."
Kate made a little noise and Castle understood; it had hit him like that too. Half of this lab had been set up for James's benefit, to keep the baby healthy and growing, and it had worked. It was working. But it didn't feel good, needing a lab for their son.
James shifted on his shoulder and leaned back, a slow-creeping smile coming up on his face, even his eyes beaming. He drew his hands together and began to clap, switching just like that from sad and hurt to excited and happy.
Kate chuckled and clapped back to him, and then she came forward, catching James's cheeks between her hands and kissing him. "What a good boy. You're worth it, baby, aren't you?" She stroked her fingers down his cheeks to his neck and kissed him again, and Castle felt him straining in to meet her.
Worth it. He was worth it. The lab, the people, the regimen too. They had made a beautiful kid.
Kate pushed her hands under James's arms and took him from Castle. He let James go, and Kate gathered him against her chest, cuddling him, smile to smile.
Castle reached out and shook Boyd's hand. "Thanks for the vaccinations, for taking care of our son. We appreciate it."
"It's the work of a lifetime," Boyd answered. And even though it was a little cryptic, Castle realized he knew exactly what Boyd meant.
Raising their son was, actually, the work of a lifetime. Important and longest-lasting, a definite impact.
He hoped they weren't screwing him up.
